Incidence and distribution of first-episode mania by age: results from a 35-year study

Returning to college after inpatient psychiatric treatment: a case study of bipolar I disorder management

Bipolar disorder is typically diagnosed in the teenage to early adulthood years. During this age, many individuals are students pursuing a college degree. Students developing the symptoms of bipolar disorder have a harder time navigating college and have significant difficulties transitioning back to school after psychiatric hospitalization, potentially influencing quality of life. Despite this, little attention has been given to the academic needs of hospitalized college students. This paper discusses the case of a 21-year-old female with a history of bipolar I disorder who was hospitalized for treatment of a manic episode. We discuss interventions to accommodate her educational needs during hospitalization to help minimize her academic load and ease her transition back to college. With this case study, we address the lack of well-established systems to reacclimate hospitalized college students and propose solutions to mitigate the hardships of transitioning from hospitalization back to the rigors of being a student.

Neurobehavioral Reward and Sleep-Circadian Profiles Predict Present and Next-Year Mania/Hypomania Symptoms

BACKGROUND

Heightened reward sensitivity/impulsivity, related neural activity, and sleep-circadian disruption are important risk factors for bipolar spectrum disorders, the defining feature of which is mania/hypomania. Our goal was to identify neurobehavioral profiles based on reward and sleep-circadian features and examine their specificity to mania/hypomania versus depression vulnerability.

METHODS

At baseline, a transdiagnostic sample of 324 adults (18-25 years) completed trait measures of reward sensitivity (Behavioral Activation Scale), impulsivity (UPPS-P-Negative Urgency), and a functional magnetic resonance imaging card-guessing reward task (left ventrolateral prefrontal activity to reward expectancy, a neural correlate of reward motivation and impulsivity, was extracted). At baseline, 6-month follow-up, and 12-month follow-up, the Mood Spectrum Self-Report Measure - Lifetime Version assessed lifetime predisposition to subthreshold-syndromal mania/hypomania, depression, and sleep-circadian disturbances (insomnia, sleepiness, reduced sleep need, rhythm disruption). Mixture models derived profiles from baseline reward, impulsivity, and sleep-circadian variables.

RESULTS

Three profiles were identified: 1) healthy (no reward or sleep-circadian disruption; n = 162); 2) moderate-risk (moderate reward and sleep-circadian disruption; n = 109); and 3) high-risk (high impulsivity and sleep-circadian disruption; n = 53). At baseline, the high-risk group had significantly higher mania/hypomania scores than the other groups but did not differ from the moderate-risk group in depression scores. Over the follow-up period, the high-risk and moderate-risk groups exhibited elevated mania/hypomania scores, whereas depression scores increased at a faster rate in the healthy group than in the other groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Cross-sectional and next-year predisposition to mania/hypomania is associated with a combination of heightened reward sensitivity and impulsivity, related reward circuitry activity, and sleep-circadian disturbances. These measures can be used to detect mania/hypomania risk and provide targets to guide and monitor interventions.

The co-occurrence of manic and depressive dimensions in early psychosis: a latent transition analysis

BACKGROUND

Frequently associated with early psychosis, depressive and manic dimensions may play an important role in its course and outcome. While manic and depressive symptoms can alternate and co-occur, most of the studies in early intervention investigated these symptoms independently. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the co-occurrence of manic and depressive dimensions, their evolution and impact on outcomes.

METHODS

We prospectively studied first-episode psychosis patients (N = 313) within an early intervention program over 3 years. Based on latent transition analysis, we identified sub-groups of patients with different mood profiles considering both manic and depressive dimensions, and studied their outcomes.

RESULTS

Our results revealed six different mood profiles at program entry and after 1.5 years follow-up (absence of mood disturbance, co-occurrence, mild depressive, severe depressive, manic and hypomanic), and four after 3 years (absence of mood disturbance, co-occurrence, mild depressive and hypomanic). Patients with absence of mood disturbance at discharge had better outcomes. All patients with co-occurring symptoms at program entry remained symptomatic at discharge. Patients with mild depressive symptoms were less likely to return to premorbid functional level at discharge than the other subgroups. Patients displaying a depressive component had poorer quality of physical and psychological health at discharge.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results confirm the major role played by mood dimensions in early psychosis, and show that profiles with co-occurring manic and depressive dimensions are at risk of poorer outcome. An accurate assessment and treatment of these dimensions in people with early psychosis is crucial.

Electroconvulsive therapy following incident bipolar disorder: When, how, and for whom?

OBJECTIVE

The use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in the treatment of bipolar disorder (BD) remains poorly described. Based on data from Danish registries with complete nationwide coverage, this study of patients with incident BD aimed to describe when, how, and for whom ECT is used in the context of BD.

METHODS

We identified patients receiving their first diagnosis of BD in the period from 2008 to 2018, who subsequently received ECT. Descriptive statistics were used to clarify when, how, and for whom ECT is used.

RESULTS

We identified 1338 patients with incident BD who subsequently received ECT. The median age at the first ECT session was 50.6 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 26.4), and 62% of those treated with ECT were female. The median time from the diagnosis of BD to the first ECT treatment was 0.6 years (IQR: 2.6), and 58% of the patients receiving ECT had the first treatment within the first year after being diagnosed with BD. The most common indication for the first ECT treatment was depression (mainly non-psychotic depression), followed by mania (mainly psychotic mania). The first ECT session was typically provided to inpatients (97%), upon patient consent (98%) and with bilateral electrode placement (60%).

CONCLUSIONS

A substantial proportion of the patients with incident BD who receive ECT require this treatment within the first year after the diagnosis. The most common indication for ECT is depression followed by (psychotic) mania. Inpatient voluntary ECT using bilateral electrode placement is the most common form of administration.

Sex Differences in Bipolar Disorders: Impact on Psychopathological Features and Treatment Response

INTRODUCTION

Sex differences were demonstrated in bipolar disorders (BD) concerning epidemiological, clinical, and psychopathological characteristics, but consensus is lacking. Moreover, data concerning the influence of sex on treatment response in BD is contrasting. The present cross-sectional study aimed to analyze sex differences in a population of BD subjects, with specific focus on psychopathological features and treatment response.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Subjects diagnosed with BD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th version (DSM-5) were recruited. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were collected. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the Mania Rating Scale (MRS), the brief version of the Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa and San Diego-Münster version (briefTEMPS-M), and the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 items (BIS-11) were used for psychopathological assessment. Treatment response was appraised with the Alda Scale. We performed bivariate analyses to compare socio-demographic, clinical, and psychopathological characteristics between men and women (p < 0.05). A logistic regression was run to analyze features that were significantly associated with female sex.

RESULTS

Among the recruited 219 BD subjects, 119 (54.3%) were females. Women had a lower scholarity (p = 0.015) and were less frequently employed (p = 0.001). As for psychopathological features, a higher MRS total score (p < 0.001) was detected among women, as well as higher BIS-11 total score (p = 0.040), and briefTEMPS-M score for anxious temperament (p = 0.006). Men showed higher prevalence of DSM-5 mixed features (p = 0.025), particularly during a depressive episode (p = 0.014). Women reported longer duration of untreated illness (DUI) (p < 0.001). There were no sex differences in the Alda Scale total score when considering the whole sample, but this was significantly higher among men (p = 0.030) when evaluating subjects treated with anticonvulsants. At the logistic regression, female sex was positively associated with longer DUI (p < 0.001; OR 1.106, 95% CI 1.050-1.165) and higher MRS total score (p < 0.001; OR 1.085, 95% CI 1.044-1.128) and negatively associated with employment (p = 0.003; OR 0.359, 95% CI 0.185-0.698) and DSM-5 mixed features (p = 0.006; OR 0.391, 95% CI 0.200-0.762).

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical presentation of BD may differ depending on sex. The severity of BD should not be neglected among women, who may also display worse treatment response to anticonvulsants.

White Matter Abnormalities in Late Onset First Episode Mania: A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study

INTRODUCTION

A first manic episode after 50 years of age is uncommon. Late Onset Mania might be indicative of abnormalities in white matter, probably related to vascular, degenerative, or inflammatory processes.

OBJECTIVE

To determine if patients with late onset mania have reduced white matter integrity according to Magnetic Resonance Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and structural MRI.

METHODS

Twenty-two patients with late onset mania (>50 years old) and 22 age-paired healthy subjects were included in the study. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was used as a quantitative measure of white matter integrity. Fazekas scale was assessed also to measure white matter abnormalities in the FLAIR sequence. The Frontal Assessment Battery, COGNISTAT and Trail making test A and B were used as cognitive measurements.

RESULTS

According to DTI, commissural connections (left corpus callosum), and limbic connections (right and left uncinate fasciculus) were different between the patients and the comparison group. Fractional anisotropy values in the left corpus callosum showed significant correlations with neuropsychological measures, and with the Fazekas scale score. According to Fazekas scale, a pathological score in the FLAIR sequence was significantly more frequent in the patients as compared to the comparison group.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with first episode mania in late life have relevant white matter abnormalities not explained by age, affecting interhemispheric and fronto-limbic networks probably related to executive functioning and emotional processing, at the level of the corpus callosum and the uncinate fasciculus. The etiology of this white matter loss of integrity in patients with late-onset mania is yet to be explored.

Treatment of bipolar disorders in older adults: a review

BACKGROUND

Old age bipolar disorder has been an orphan of psychiatric research for a long time despite the fact that bipolar disorder (BD)-I and II together may affect 0.5-1.0% of the elderly. It is also unclear whether aetiology, course of illness and treatment should differ in patients with a first manifestation in older age and patients suffering from a recurrence of a BD known for decades. This narrative review will summarize the current state of knowledge about the epidemiology, clinical features, and treatment of BD in the elderly.

METHODS

We conducted a Medline literature search from 1970 to 2021 using MeSH terms "Bipolar Disorder" × "Aged" or "Geriatric" or "Elderly". Search results were complemented by additional literature retrieved from examining cross references and by hand search in text books. Varying cut-off ages have been applied to differentiate old age from adult age BD. Within old age BD, there is a reasonable agreement of distinct entities, early and late-onset BD. They differ to some extent in clinical symptoms, course of illness, and some co-morbidities. Point prevalence of BD in older adults appears slightly lower than in working-age adults, with polarity of episodes shifting towards depression. Psychopharmacological treatment needs to take into account the special aspects of somatic gerontology and the age-related change of pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics. The evidence for commonly used treatments such as lithium, mood-stabilizing antiepileptics, antipsychotics, and antidepressants remains sparse. Preliminary results support a role of ECT as well as psychotherapy and psychosocial interventions in old age BD.

CONCLUSIONS

There is an obvious need of further research for all treatment modalities of BD in old age. The focus should be pharmacological and psychosocial approaches, as well as their combination, and the role of physical treatment modalities such as ECT.

Navigating the diagnostic challenges of bipolar disorder in youth

ABSTRACT

Bipolar disorder in youth is difficult to diagnose and treat, but early detection is important to mitigate risks and improve patient outcomes. This article evaluates the unique challenges of diagnosing and treating bipolar disorder in children and adolescents. Bipolar disorder is associated with a significant personal and societal health burden and frequently is misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated. More research is needed to understand the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder and which treatment options are best throughout the lifespan.

Old Age Bipolar Disorder-Epidemiology, Aetiology and Treatment

Data regarding older age bipolar disorder (OABD) are sparse. Two major groups are classified as patients with first occurrence of mania in old age, the so called “late onset” patients (LOBD), and the elder patients with a long-standing clinical history, the so called “early onset” patients (EOBD). The aim of the present literature review is to provide more information on specific issues concerning OABD, such as epidemiology, aetiology and treatments outcomes. We conducted a Medline literature search from 1970–2021 using the MeSH terms “bipolar disorder” and “aged” or “geriatric” or “elderly”. The additional literature was retrieved by examining cross references and by a hand search in textbooks. With sparse data on the treatment of OABD, current guidelines concluded that first-line treatment of OABD should be similar to that for working-age bipolar disorder, with specific attention to side effects, somatic comorbidities and specific risks of OABD. With constant monitoring and awareness of the possible toxic drug interactions, lithium is a safe drug for OABD patients, both in mania and maintenance. Lamotrigine and lurasidone could be considered in bipolar depression. Mood stabilizers, rather than second generation antipsychotics, are the treatment of choice for maintenance. If medication fails, electroconvulsive therapy is recommended for mania, mixed states and depression, and can also be offered for continuation and maintenance treatment. Preliminary results also support a role of psychotherapy and psychosocial interventions in old age BD. The recommended treatments for OABD include lithium and antiepileptics such as valproic acid and lamotrigine, and lurasidone for bipolar depression, although the evidence is still weak. Combined psychosocial and pharmacological treatments also appear to be a treatment of choice for OABD. More research is needed on the optimal pharmacological and psychosocial approaches to OABD, as well as their combination and ranking in an evidence-based therapy algorithm.

Bipolar disorder: Trimodal age-at-onset distribution

OBJECTIVE

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic mental health disorder with significant morbidity and mortality. Age at onset (AAO) may be a key variable in delineating more homogeneous subgroups of BD patients. However, no known research has systematically assessed how BD age-at-onset subgroups should be defined.

METHODS

We systematically searched the following databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, Proquest Dissertations and Theses, Google Scholar and BIOSIS Previews. Original quantitative English language studies investigating AAO in BD were sought.

RESULTS

A total of 9454 unique publications were identified. Twenty-one of these were included in data analysis (n = 22981 BD participants). Fourteen of these studies (67%, n = 13626 participants) found a trimodal AAO distribution: early-onset (µ = 17.3, σ = 1.19, 45% of sample), mid-onset (µ = 26.0, σ = 1.72, 35%), and late-onset (µ = 41.9, σ = 6.16, 20%). Five studies (24%, n = 1422 participants) described a bimodal AAO distribution: early-onset (µ = 24.3, σ = 6.57, 66% of sample) and late-onset (µ = 46.3, σ = 14.15, 34%). Two studies investigated cohort effects on BD AAO and found that when the sample was not split by cohort, a trimodal AAO was the winning model, but when separated by cohort a bimodal distribution fit the data better.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose that the field conceptualises bipolar disorder age-at-onset subgroups as referring broadly to life stages. Demarcating BD AAO groups can inform treatment and provide a framework for future research to continue to investigate potential mechanisms of disease onset.

What Do We Know about the Long-Term Course of Early Onset Bipolar Disorder? A Review of the Current Evidence

Aim: Early onset of psychopathology is often an index of a more severe clinical course and worse prognosis. This review examined the course of bipolar disorder (BD) with onset in childhood and adolescence, with a focus on persistence of symptoms, severity of illness, comorbidity, and functional impairment. Methods: The databases of PubMed, Embase, and PsycInfo were systematically searched for publications since 1990 reporting on long-term (12 months or longer) assessments of patients with early onset BD. Results: Forty-two relevant publications were identified, which reported on data derived from 15 different patient cohorts, including 7 prospective research psychopathology studies, 4 medical record reviews, 2 follow-ups of clinical trial samples, 1 managed care database, and 1 nationwide registry, for a total of 10,187 patients. The length of follow-ups ranged from 1.0 to 15 years. Diagnostic stability of BD ranged from 73% to 100% over ten years. Recovery rate from an index episode was 81.5–100% and recurrence rate was 35–67%. Suicide attempt cumulative prevalence in five years was 18–20%. Earlier age at the first episode predicted a more severe clinical course. Conclusions: Early onset BD persists over time through adolescence, with homotypic diagnostic continuity over the years, but heterogeneity in the severity of the clinical course. Whether early identification and treatment improves distal prognosis remains to be further investigated.

The Greater Houston Area Bipolar Registry-Clinical and Neurobiological Trajectories of Children and Adolescents With Bipolar Disorders and High-Risk Unaffected Offspring

The aims of this article are to discuss the rationale, design, and procedures of the Greater Houston Area Bipolar Registry (HBR), which aims at contributing to the effort involved in the investigation of neurobiological mechanisms underlying bipolar disorder (BD) as well as to identify clinical and neurobiological markers able to predict BD clinical course. The article will also briefly discuss examples of other initiatives that have made fundamental contributions to the field. This will be a longitudinal study with participants aged 6-17 at the time of enrollment. Participants will be required to meet diagnostic criteria for BD, or to be offspring of a parent with BD. We will also enroll healthy controls. Besides clinical information, which includes neurocognitive performance, participants will be asked to provide blood and saliva samples as well as to perform neuroimaging exams at baseline and follow-ups. Several studies point to the existence of genetic, inflammatory, and brain imaging alterations between individuals at higher genetic risk for BD compared with healthy controls. Longitudinal designs have shown high conversion rates to BD among high-risk offspring, with attempts to identify clinical predictors of disease onset, as well as clarifying the burden associated with environmental stressors. The HBR will help in the worldwide effort investigating the clinical course and neurobiological mechanisms of affected and high-risk children and adolescents with BD.

Anxiety, mental illness, learning disabilities, and learning accommodation use: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Nurse educators require a robust understanding of nursing students' attributes to meet their learning needs and support their success.

PURPOSE

This research seeks to understand the proportion of nursing students with self-reported medically diagnosed anxiety, mental illnesses (MI), learning disabilities (LD), and utilized learning accommodations (LA), and determine how these students compared to a normative sample regarding studying and test-taking anxiety.

METHOD

A secondary analysis of quantitative cross-sectional data that included the Academic Success Inventory for College Students (ASICS) tool. First-year students were surveyed (4-6 weeks after program start, and students in years 1 through 4 were surveyed at the end of both academic terms.

RESULTS

At program start, 21% were diagnosed with anxiety, 16% with MI, 2% with a LD, and 6% accessed LA. By fourth-year these proportions were 23%, 22%, 8% and 13% respectively. Alarming proportions of respondents exhibited anxiety related to test-taking compared to the ASICS normative sample with large effect sizes (Anxiety h = 0.884; MI h = 0.601; LD: h = 2.094; LA h = 0.725).

CONCLUSION

To support students, we highlight a need for early identification and tailored support, enriched faculty knowledge, faculty introspection and willingness to adapt, and time for relational and individual pedagogy.

Trauma Affects Prospective Relationships Between Reward-Related Ventral Striatal and Amygdala Activation and 1-Year Future Hypo/Mania Trajectories

BACKGROUND

Trauma exposure is associated with a more severe, persistent course of affective and anxiety symptoms. Markers of reward neural circuitry function, specifically activation to reward prediction error (RPE), are impacted by trauma and predict the future course of affective symptoms. This study's purpose was to determine how lifetime trauma exposure influences relationships between reward neural circuitry function and the course of future affective and anxiety symptoms in a naturalistic, transdiagnostic observational context.

METHODS

A total of 59 young adults aged 18-25 (48 female and 11 male participants, mean ± SD = 21.5 ± 2.0 years) experiencing psychological distress completed the study. Participants were evaluated at baseline, 6, and 12 months. At baseline, the participants reported lifetime trauma events and completed a monetary reward functional magnetic resonance imaging task. Affective and anxiety symptoms were reported at each visit, and trajectories were calculated using MPlus. Neural activation during RPE and other phases of reward processing were determined using SPM8. Trauma and reward neural activation were entered as predictors of symptom trajectories.

RESULTS

Trauma exposure moderated prospective relationships between left ventral striatum (β = -1.29, p = .02) and right amygdala (β = 0.58, p = .04) activation to RPE and future hypo/mania severity trajectory: the interaction between greater trauma and greater left ventral striatum activation to RPE was associated with a shallower increase in hypo/mania severity, whereas the interaction between greater trauma and greater right amygdala activation to RPE was associated with increasing hypo/mania severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Trauma exposure affects prospective relationships between markers of reward circuitry function and affective symptom trajectories. Evaluating trauma exposure is thus crucial in naturalistic and treatment studies aiming to identify neural predictors of future affective symptom course.

Bipolar disorder and the college student: A review and implications for universities

Objective: This brief report provides a review of the prevalence and expression of bipolar disorder in the college student population. Implications for college teachers and universities working with students with bipolar disorder are presented. Methods: Responses from the National College Health Assessment (2009-2017) reference groups were collated to estimate whether the prevalence of students with bipolar disorder has been increasing over time. Results: Data indicate that although overall prevalence is low, the presence of students with bipolar disorder has increased over the past decade. Conclusions: To help students with serious mental illness, including bipolar disorder, succeed in higher education, practices consistent with the philosophy of supported education should be adopted. Special attention will need to be paid to students' financial and academic challenges.

A Novel Cosegregating DCTN1 Splice Site Variant in a Family with Bipolar Disorder May Hold the Key to Understanding the Etiology

A novel cosegregating splice site variant in the Dynactin-1 (DCTN1) gene was discovered by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) in a family with a history of bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive diagnosis (MDD). Psychiatric illness in this family follows an autosomal dominant pattern. DCTN1 codes for the largest dynactin subunit, namely p150^Glued, which plays an essential role in retrograde axonal transport and in neuronal autophagy. A GT→TT transversion in the DCTN1 gene, uncovered in the present work, is predicted to disrupt the invariant canonical splice donor site IVS22 + 1G > T and result in intron retention and a premature termination codon (PTC). Thus, this splice site variant is predicted to trigger RNA nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) and/or result in a C-terminal truncated p150^Glued protein (ct-p150^Glued), thereby negatively impacting retrograde axonal transport and neuronal autophagy. BD prophylactic medications, and most antipsychotics and antidepressants, are known to enhance neuronal autophagy. This variant is analogous to the dominant-negative GLUED Gl¹ mutation in Drosophila, which is responsible for a neurodegenerative phenotype. The newly identified variant may reflect an autosomal dominant cause of psychiatric pathology in this affected family. Factors that affect alternative splicing of the DCTN1 gene, leading to NMD and/or ct-p150^Glued, may be of fundamental importance in contributing to our understanding of the etiology of BD as well as MDD.

White matter microstructure in youth with and at risk for bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVES

Bipolar disorder (BD) and familial risk for BD have been associated with aberrant white matter (WM) microstructure in the corpus callosum and fronto-limbic pathways. These abnormalities might constitute trait or state marker and have been suggested to result from aberrant maturation and to relate to difficulties in emotion regulation.

METHODS

To determine whether WM alterations represent a trait, disease or resilience marker, we compared youth at risk for BD (n = 36 first-degree relatives, REL) to youth with BD (n = 36) and healthy volunteers (n = 36, HV) using diffusion tensor imaging.

RESULTS

Individuals with BD and REL did not differ from each other in WM microstructure and, compared to HV, showed similar aberrations in the superior corona radiata (SCR)/corticospinal tract (CST) and the body of the corpus callosum. WM microstructure of the anterior CC showed reduced age-related in-creases in BD compared to REL and HV. Further, individuals with BD and REL showed in-creased difficulties in emotion regulation, which were associated with the microstructure of the anterior thalamic radiation.

DISCUSSION

Alterations in the SCR/CST and the body of the corpus callosum appear to represent a trait marker of BD, whereas changes in other WM tracts seem to be a disease state marker. Our findings also support the role of aberrant developmental trajectories of WM microstructure in the risk architecture of BD, although longitudinal studies are needed to confirm this association. Finally, our findings show the relevance of WM microstructure for difficulties in emotion regulation-a core characteristic of BD.

Exploring factors of diagnostic delay for patients with bipolar disorder: a population-based cohort study

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder if untreated, has severe consequences: severe role impairment, higher health care costs, mortality and morbidity. Although effective treatment is available, the delay in diagnosis might be as long as 10-15 years. In this study, we aim at documenting the length of the diagnostic delay in Hungary and identifying factors associated with it.

METHODS

Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards model was employed to examine factors associated with the time to diagnosis of bipolar disorder measured from the date of the first presentation to any specialist mental healthcare institution. We investigated three types of factors associated with delays to diagnosis: demographic characteristics, clinical predictors and patient pathways (temporal sequence of key clinical milestones). Administrative data were retrieved from specialist care; the population-based cohort includes 8935 patients from Hungary.

RESULTS

In the sample, diagnostic delay was 6.46 years on average. The mean age of patients at the time of the first bipolar diagnosis was 43.59 years. 11.85% of patients were diagnosed with bipolar disorder without any delay, and slightly more than one-third of the patients (35.10%) were never hospitalized with mental health problems. 88.80% of the patients contacted psychiatric care for the first time in outpatient settings, while 11% in inpatient care. Diagnostic delay was shorter, if patients were diagnosed with bipolar disorder by non-specialist mental health professionals before. In contrast, diagnoses of many psychiatric disorders received after the first contact were coupled with a delayed bipolar diagnosis. We found empirical evidence that in both outpatient and inpatient care prior diagnoses of schizophrenia, unipolar depression without psychotic symptoms, and several disorders of adult personality were associated with increased diagnostic delay. Patient pathways played an important role as well: the hazard of delayed diagnosis increased if patients consulted mental healthcare specialists in outpatient care first or they were hospitalized.

CONCLUSIONS

We systematically described and analysed the diagnosis of bipolar patients in Hungary controlling for possible confounders. Our focus was more on clinical variables as opposed to factors controllable by policy-makers. To formulate policy-relevant recommendations, a more detailed analysis of care pathways and continuity is needed.

Comparisons of the clinical outcomes between early- and adult-onset bipolar disorders: A prospective cohort analysis

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to explore the impact of age-at-onset on clinical outcomes in bipolar-spectrum disorders, including the development of alcohol or substance use disorder, suicidality, and psychiatric hospitalization.

METHODS

This population-based study enrolled newly-diagnosed bipolar-spectrum patients, including 4,367 patients with early-onset bipolar disorder (EOBD), 64,787 patients with adult-onset bipolar disorder (AOBD), and the same number of age-controlled comparison subjects without bipolar disorder, from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Time-dependent covariate Cox regression models were used to estimate the effect of age-at-onset on clinical outcomes with adjustment for pre-existing psychiatric comorbid conditions and pharmacological treatment patterns. Sensitivity analyses using different definitions of study sample and age cutoffs were conducted.

RESULTS

The average follow-up duration was 5.7 years. After adjustment with time-dependent covariates and chronological age, there were no significant differences in the risks for developing new-onset alcohol or substance use disorders and psychiatric hospitalization between EOBD and AOBD patients. Although EOBD patients had a higher risk of hospitalization for suicide and self-harm than did AOBD patients in primary analysis, this finding did not replicated in the sensitivity analyses.

LIMITATIONS

The symptom profile and severity of bipolar disorder was not available in the NHIRD; therefore, surrogate indicators of clinical outcome might not be sensitive enough to detect the subtle differences.

CONCLUSIONS

EOBD and AOBD patients had similar risks for developing alcohol or substance use disorders. Their risk of psychiatric hospitalization was similar. Whether EOBD patients might have a higher risk of hospitalization for suicide and self-harm warrants further investigations.

The case for improved care and provision of treatment for people with first-episode mania

The care of people with first-episode mania has been overlooked in comparison with the care of patients with other non-affective psychoses, despite evidence suggesting targeted treatments might be of benefit for this patient group. In this Personal View, we outline the general epidemiology of first-episode mania in the context of bipolar disorder, the natural history of mania (with an emphasis on its recurrent nature), current evidence for pharmacological, psychological, and service-level interventions, current guidelines for the treatment of first-episode mania, and provide a patient's point of view of the care pathway (appendix). We note the paucity of high-quality evidence for interventions in first-episode mania and the lack of agreement among treatment guidelines in relation to treatment, especially maintenance treatment. We suggest that, based on high morbidity and clinical need, research evidence to inform guideline development is necessary, and in the interim, clearer guidance on treatment and diagnosis should be given; specifically, we have suggested that patients should be cared for within a first-episode psychosis service, when such a service exists.

A population-based heritability estimate of bipolar disorder - In a Swedish twin sample

Twin- and family studies have shown variations in the heritability estimates of bipolar disorder (BPD). The current study uses an updated statistical methodology for heritability estimation in BPD by taking available time of follow-up into account while controlling for co-variates. We identified monozygotic and dizygotic same and different sex twins with BPD (n = 804) or unaffected from BPD (n = 91,604) from the Swedish Twin Register and the National Patient Register. We applied structural equational modeling with inversed probability weighting to estimate the heritability, taking into account censoring and truncation of data. Sex-limitation models were constructed to analyze qualitative or quantitative sex-differences in BPD. Heritability for BPD was 60.4% (95% Confidence Interval: 50.3-70.5) after age, sex, left-hand truncation and censoring of the data was taken into account. A larger proportion of females were affected from BPD (females 62.2%; males 37.8%, p < 0.001), but no sex-difference in BPD heritability was found, nor any sex-specific genetic effects. We demonstrated a robust 60% heritability for BPD with no evidence of sex-specific genetic effects on disease liability.

Epidemiology and risk factors for bipolar disorder

Bipolar disorder is a multifactorial illness with uncertain aetiology. Knowledge of potential risk factors enables clinicians to identify patients who are more likely to develop bipolar disorder, which directs further investigation, follow up and caution when prescribing. Ideally, identifying directly causative factors for bipolar disorder would enable intervention on an individual or population level to prevent the development of the illness, and improve outcomes through earlier treatment. This article reviews the epidemiology of bipolar disorder, along with putative demographic, genetic and environmental risk factors, while assessing the strength of these associations and to what extent they might be said to be 'causative'. While numerous genetic and environmental risk factors have been identified, the attributable risk of individual factors is often small, and most are not specific to bipolar disorder but are associated with several mental illnesses. Therefore, while some genetic and environmental factors have strong evidence supporting their association with bipolar disorder, fewer have sufficient evidence to establish causality. There is increasing interest in the role of specific gene-environment interactions, as well as the mechanisms by which risk factors interact to lead to bipolar disorder.

Cognitive functioning following stabilisation from first episode mania

Background

The purpose of this study was to examine cognitive functioning in people following first-episode mania relative to a demographically similar healthy control group.

Methods

Forty-one patients, who had recently stabilised from a first manic episode, and twenty-one healthy controls, were compared in an extensive cognitive assessment.

Results

First-episode mania participants had significantly lower Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) relative to healthy controls; however, this finding could be driven by premorbid differences in intellectual functioning. There were no significant differences between groups in Verbal IQ (VIQ) and Performance IQ (PIQ). First-episode mania participants performed significantly poorer than healthy controls in processing speed, verbal learning and memory, working memory, and cognitive flexibility with medium-to-large effects. There were no group differences in other measures of cognition.

Conclusions

Participants following first-episode mania have poorer global intelligence than healthy controls, and have cognitive difficulties in some, but not all areas of cognitive functioning. This highlights the importance of early intervention and cognitive assessment in the early course of the disorder.

Clinical correlates of age at onset distribution in bipolar disorder: a comparison between diagnostic subgroups

Background

Admixture analysis of age at onset (AAO) has helped delineating the clinical profile of early onset (EO) bipolar disorder (BD). However, there is scarce evidence comparing the distributional properties of AAO as well as the clinical features of EO BD type 1 (BD1) with EO BD type 2 (BD2). To this end, we studied 515 BD patients (224 BD1, 279 BD2, and 12 BD not otherwise specified [NOS]) diagnosed according to DSM-IV-TR criteria.

Methods

AAO was defined as the first reliably diagnosed hypo/manic or depressive episode according to diagnostic criteria. We used normal distribution mixture analysis to identify subgroups of patients according to AAO. Models were chosen according to the Schwarz’s Bayesian information criteria (BIC). Clinical correlates of EO were analysed using univariate tests and multivariate logistic regression models.

Results

A two normal components model best fitted the observed distribution of AAO in BD1 (BIC = −1599.3), BD2 (BIC = −2158.4), and in the whole sample (BIC = −3854.9). A higher number of EO BD2 patients had a depression-(hypo)mania-free interval (DMI) course, while a higher rate of (hypo)mania-depression-free interval (MDI) course was found in EO BD1. EO BD2 had also a higher rate of comorbidity with alcohol dependence compared to EO BD1. The latter finding was confirmed by multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Conclusions

In conclusion, both BD1 and BD2 had bimodal AAO distributions, but EO subgroups had a diagnostic-specific clinical delineation.

Depressive symptoms in early- and late-onset older bipolar patients compared with younger ones

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to determine clinical and outcome differences between older bipolar patients with early onset (EO) and late onset (LO) of the illness and between younger and EO older patients with a bipolar disorder under long-term treatment in an outpatient clinical setting.

METHODS

Three hundred ninety-five bipolar I and II outpatients were followed up for up to 7.7 years. Of these, 213 younger (<50 years) and 88 older (>60 years) patients were included. In the older subsample, 50 EO patients (onset <50 years) versus 38 LO patients (≥50 years) were analyzed. Likewise, younger versus EO older patients were compared.

RESULTS

The likelihood of LO older patients of being bipolar II was higher than for EO older patients. They were also diagnosed earlier than EO older patients. No other clinical differences at baseline and at the prospective follow-up were found. Compared with younger patients, EO older patients had more frequent depressive symptoms at baseline, suffered more major depressive episodes in the previous year and in the prospective follow-up, received more antidepressants at baseline, had higher rates of medical comorbid conditions and were less likely to be tobacco smokers.

CONCLUSIONS

Older patients constitute a meaningful proportion of bipolar patients under treatment. EO older patients suffered significantly from more frequent depressive symptoms than younger ones. LO older patients were predominantly bipolar II. So as bipolar illness progressed, depressive symptomatology became more frequent and manic episodes were less severe. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Bipolar disorder and diabetes mellitus: evidence for disease-modifying effects and treatment implications

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder refers to a group of chronic psychiatric disorders of mood and energy levels. While dramatic psychiatric symptoms dominate the acute phase of the diseases, the chronic course is often determined by an increasing burden of co-occurring medical conditions. High rates of diabetes mellitus in patients with bipolar disorder are particularly striking, yet unexplained. Treatment and lifestyle factors could play a significant role, and some studies also suggest shared pathophysiology and risk factors.

OBJECTIVE

In this systematic literature review, we explored data around the relationship between bipolar disorder and diabetes mellitus in recently published population-based cohort studies with special focus on the elderly.

METHODS

A systematic search in the PubMed database for the combined terms "bipolar disorder" AND "elderly" AND "diabetes" in papers published between January 2009 and December 2015 revealed 117 publications; 7 studies were large cohort studies, and therefore, were included in our review.

RESULTS

We found that age- and gender- adjusted risk for diabetes mellitus was increased in patients with bipolar disorder and vice versa (odds ratio range between 1.7 and 3.2).

DISCUSSION

Our results in large population-based cohort studies are consistent with the results of smaller studies and chart reviews. Even though it is likely that heterogeneous risk factors may play a role in diabetes mellitus and in bipolar disorder, growing evidence from cell culture experiments and animal studies suggests shared disease mechanisms. Furthermore, disease-modifying effects of bipolar disorder and diabetes mellitus on each other appear to be substantial, impacting both treatment response and outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of diabetes mellitus in patients with bipolar disorder is increased. Our findings add to the growing literature on this topic. Increasing evidence for shared disease mechanisms suggests new disease models that could explain the results of our study. A better understanding of the complex relationship between bipolar disorder and diabetes mellitus could lead to novel therapeutic approaches and improved outcomes.

Impact of psychotic symptoms on cognitive functioning in child and adolescent psychiatric inpatients with severe mood disorders

Despite established differences in cognitive functioning of adults with mood disorder-related psychosis and those with non-affective psychotic disorders, there is limited evidence of the impact of psychotic symptoms on the cognitive functioning of children and adolescents with mood disorders. This study investigates IQ, working memory, and processing speed scores in 80 child and adolescent inpatients discharged from an intermediate care state psychiatric hospital, using a retrospective chart review. Associations between diagnosis based on DSM-IV criteria (7 with Major Depression- MDD; 43 with Bipolar Disorders-BD, and 30 with Mood Disorders Not Otherwise Specified-NOS), presence of current psychotic features, and cognitive functioning (WISC-IV IQ, Coding, Symbol Search, and Digit Span) were investigated using Multivariate Analyses of Variance. No differences were found in cognitive functioning between patients with MDD and BD, or between those with severe Mood Disorders (MDD or BD) and those with NOS, when controlling for age, gender, and presence of psychotic features. However, patients with severe mood disorders and psychotic features showed lower IQs and greater working memory deficits than those without psychotic features or NOS. Results are discussed in terms of treatment planning for children and adolescents at risk for developing psychotic symptoms and severe mood disorders.

Using admixture analysis to examine birth-cohort effects on age at onset of bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVE

It is suggested that age at onset (AAO) of bipolar I disorder (BP-I) is decreasing. We tested for a birth-cohort effect on AAO using admixture analysis.

METHOD

A clinical sample of 3896 BP-I cases was analysed using two approaches: (i) in a subsample with untruncated AAO × birth year distribution (n = 1865), we compared the best-fitting model for the observed AAO in patients born ≤1960 and >1960, (ii) to control for potential confounders, two separate subsamples born ≤1960 and >1960 were matched for age at interview (n = 250), and a further admixture analysis was undertaken.

RESULTS

The two approaches indicated that the proportion of cases in the early AAO category was significantly greater in cases born >1960; manic onsets were also more frequent in the early onset BP-I cases born >1960.

CONCLUSION

The decrease in AAO of BP-I in recent birth-cohorts appears to be associated with an increase in the proportion of cases in the early onset subgroup; not with a decrease in the mean AAO in each putative subgroup. This could indicate temporal changes in exposure to risk factors for mania.

Frontotemporal Dementia and Psychiatric Illness: Emerging Clinical and Biological Links in Gene Carriers

OBJECTIVE

To describe psychiatric presentations in individuals with genetic mutations causing frontotemporal dementia (FTD).

DESIGN

Case descriptions from five carriers of FTD-related gene mutations with symptoms associated with non-neurodegenerative psychiatric disease.

SETTING

A comprehensive research program investigating genetic and non-genetic FTD at the University of California, San Francisco Memory and Aging Center.

PARTICIPANTS

Three proband and two non-proband gene carriers.

MEASUREMENTS

Medical history and neurological examination, neuropsychological testing, magnetic resonance and/or positron emission tomography imaging, and a genetic analysis to screen for dementia-related mutations. Genetic status was unknown at the time of initial evaluation.

RESULTS

The chosen cases are illustrative of the variety of presentations of psychiatric symptoms in FTD gene carriers. In some cases, a non-neurodegenerative psychiatric illness was diagnosed based on specific symptoms, but the diagnosis may have been inappropriate based on the overall syndrome. In other cases, symptoms closely resembling those seen in non-neurodegenerative psychiatric illness did occur, in some cases immediately preceding the development of dementia, and in other cases developing a decade prior to dementia symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Psychiatric symptoms in FTD gene carriers can be very similar to those seen in non-neurodegenerative psychiatric illness. Psychiatric symptoms with atypical features (e.g., late-life onset, insidiously worsening course) should prompt careful assessment for neurodegenerative disease. Guidelines for such an assessment should be established.

Early-onset and very-early-onset bipolar disorder: distinct or similar clinical conditions?

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to examine differences in the clinical presentation of very-early-onset (VEO) and early-onset (EO) bipolar disorder (BD) not fully explored previously.

METHODS

We selected two groups of subjects with BD from the Maritime Bipolar Registry based on age at onset of first major mood episode (VEO with onset prior to age 15 years; EO ranging from 15 to 18 years) and compared them with a reference group (onset after 18 years of age). There were 363 subjects (240 with bipolar I disorder and 123 with bipolar II disorder; mean age 44.2 ± 12.8 (SD) years), with 41 subjects in the VEO and 95 in the EO groups.

RESULTS

In comparison with the EO and reference groups, more subjects in the VEO group developed major depression as an index episode (88% for the VEO group versus 61% for the EO group and 54% for the reference group), and had an unremitting clinical course (65% versus 42% and 42%, respectively), rapid cycling (54% versus 34% and 28%, respectively), and comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (17% versus 1% and 3%, respectively); a higher proportion of the VEO group had first-degree relatives with affective disorders compared with the EO and reference groups (0.41 versus 0.32 and 0.29, respectively), and they had lower scores on the Global Assessment of Functioning scale (mean scores of 64 versus 70 and 70). Overall, the EO group was similar to the reference group on most measures, except for increased suicidal behavior VEO 53%, EO 44% and reference group 25%). The results of polychotomous logistic regression also support the view that VEO BD represents a rather specific subtype of BD.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest the recognized correlates of early-onset BD may be driven by subjects at the lowest end of the age at onset spectrum.

The genetics of early-onset bipolar disorder: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Early-onset bipolar disorder has been associated with a significantly worse prognosis than late-onset BD and has been hypothesized to be a genetically homogenous subset of BD. A sizeable number of studies have investigated early-onset BD through linkage-analyses, candidate-gene association studies, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and analyses of copy number variants (CNVs), but this literature has not yet been reviewed.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted using the PubMed database on articles published online before January 15, 2015 and after 1990. Separate searches were made for linkage studies, candidate gene-association studies, GWAS, and studies on CNVs.

RESULTS

Seventy-three studies were included in our review. There is a lack of robust positive findings on the genetics of early-onset BD in any major molecular genetics method.

LIMITATIONS

Early-onset populations were quite small in some studies. Variance in study methods hindered efforts to interpret results or conduct meta-analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The field is still at an early phase for research on early-onset BD. The largely null findings mirror the results of most genetics research on BD. Although most studies were underpowered, the null findings could mean that early-onset BD may not be as genetically homogenous as has been hypothesized or even that early-onset BD does not differ genetically from adult-onset BD. Nevertheless, clinically the probabilistic developmental risk trajectories associated with early-onset that may not be primarily genetically determined continued to warrant scrutiny. Future research should dramatically expand sample sizes, use atheoretical research methods like GWAS, and standardize methods.

Life expectancy in bipolar disorder

OBJECTIVE

Life expectancy in patients with bipolar disorder has been reported to be decreased by 11 to 20 years. These calculations are based on data for individuals at the age of 15 years. However, this may be misleading for patients with bipolar disorder in general as most patients have a later onset of illness. The aim of the present study was to calculate the remaining life expectancy for patients of different ages with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder.

METHODS

Using nationwide registers of all inpatient and outpatient contacts to all psychiatric hospitals in Denmark from 1970 to 2012 we calculated remaining life expectancies for values of age 15, 25, 35 ⃛ 75 years among all individuals alive in year 2000.

RESULTS

For the typical male or female patient aged 25 to 45 years, the remaining life expectancy was decreased by 12.0-8.7 years and 10.6-8.3 years, respectively. The ratio between remaining life expectancy in bipolar disorder and that of the general population decreased with age, indicating that patients with bipolar disorder start losing life-years during early and mid-adulthood.

CONCLUSIONS

Life expectancy in bipolar disorder is decreased substantially, but less so than previously reported. Patients start losing life-years during early and mid-adulthood.

Commingling analysis of age-of-onset in bipolar I disorder and the morbid risk for major psychoses in first degree relatives of bipolar I probands

BACKGROUND

Age-of-onset (AO) is increasingly used in molecular genetics of bipolar I disorder (BP-I) as a phenotypic specifier with the goal of reducing genetic heterogeneity. However, questions regarding the cut-off age for defining early onset (EO), as well as the number of onset groups characterizing BP-I have emerged over the last decade with no definite conclusion. The aims of this paper are: 1) to see whether a mixture of three distributions better describes the AO of BP-I than a mixture of two distributions in different independent samples; 2) to compare the morbid risk (MR) for BP-I and for major affective disorders and schizophrenia in first degree relatives of BP-I probands by proband onset group derived from commingling analysis, since the MR to relatives is a trait with strong genetic background.

METHODS

We applied commingling (admixture) analysis to the AO of three BP-I samples from Romania (n=621), Germany (n=882), and Poland (n=354). Subsequently, the morbid risk (MR) for BP-I and for major psychoses (BP-I, BP-II, Mdd-UP, schizoaffective disorders, schizophrenia) was estimated in first degree relatives by proband AO-group derived from admixture analysis in the Romanian sample.

RESULTS

In the three independent samples and in the combined sample two- and three-AO-group distributions fitted the empirical data equally well. The upper EO limit varied between 21 and 25 years from sample to sample. The MR for both BP-I and for all major psychoses was similar in first degree relatives of EO probands (AO≤21) and in relatives of intermediate-onset probands (AO=22-34). Significant MR differences appeared only when comparing the EO group to the late-onset (LO) group (AO>34). Similar to Mdd-UP and schizophrenia, a significant MR decrease in proband first degree relatives was visible after proband AO of 34 years. Under the three-AO-group classification the MR for both BP-I and all major psychoses in first degree relatives did not differ by relative sex in any proband AO-group. Under the two-AO-group classification female relatives of LO probands (AO>24) had a significantly higher MR for all major psychoses than male relatives, while there was no sex difference for the relatives of EO probands.

LIMITATIONS

MR was not computed in the German and Polish samples because family data were not available and 34% of the relatives of the Romanian probands were not available for direct interview.

CONCLUSION

Similar to other clinical traits, the MR for major psychoses to relatives failed to support a three-AO-group classification in BP-I suggesting that this is not more useful for the molecular analysis than a two-AO-group classification.

The prevalence of late-life mania: a review

OBJECTIVES

Since there is a worldwide steady increase in the number of individuals living longer and an expected increase in the number of older adults who will be diagnosed with bipolar disorder, there is a growing need to better understand late-life mania. We provide in this review a report of published studies focusing on the prevalence of late-life mania in the community and in senior psychiatric care facilities.

METHODS

We conducted a search of PubMed and Psychinfo databases using combinations of the keywords bipolar, manic/a, manic depression, elderly, and older including English-language reports presenting quantitative data on the prevalence of mania in adults over the age of 50 years.

RESULTS

Eighteen out of 188 potentially eligible studies met our inclusion criteria, with most studies focusing on psychiatric inpatient samples. The overall prevalence of late-life mania was estimated to be 6.0% in the reported 1,519 older psychiatric inpatients. In elderly inpatients with bipolar disorder, the mean prevalence of late-onset mania was 44.2%. For other relevant care facilities, no firm conclusions could be drawn.

CONCLUSIONS

Late-life mania is not rare in older psychiatric inpatients and late-onset mania is associated with increased somatic comorbidity in patients aged 50 years and older. Several hypotheses regarding the relationship between somatic illness and late-life mania in the elderly have been proposed and studies on this relationship and the prevalence of late-life mania in different senior psychiatric care facilities deserve specific attention in future research projects.

Epidemiological and clinical characterization following a first psychotic episode in major depressive disorder: comparisons with schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder in the Cavan-Monaghan First Episode Psychosis Study (CAMFEPS)

While recent research on psychotic illness has focussed on the nosological, clinical, and biological relationships between schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, little attention has been directed to the most common other psychotic diagnosis, major depressive disorder with psychotic features (MDDP). As this diagnostic category captures the confluence between dimensions of psychotic and affective psychopathology, it is of unappreciated heuristic potential to inform on the nature of psychotic illness. Therefore, the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of MDDP were compared with those of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder within the Cavan-Monaghan First Episode Psychosis Study (n = 370). Epidemiologically, the first psychotic episode of MDDP (n = 77) was uniformly distributed across the adult life span, while schizophrenia (n = 73) and bipolar disorder (n = 73) were primarily disorders of young adulthood; the incidence of MDDP, like bipolar disorder, did not differ between the sexes, while the incidence of schizophrenia was more common in males than in females. Clinically, MDDP was characterized by negative symptoms, executive dysfunction, neurological soft signs (NSS), premorbid intellectual function, premorbid adjustment, and quality of life similar to those for schizophrenia, while bipolar disorder was characterized by less prominent negative symptoms, executive dysfunction and NSS, and better quality of life. These findings suggest that what we currently categorize as MDDP may be more closely aligned with other psychotic diagnoses than has been considered previously. They indicate that differences in how psychosis is manifested vis-à-vis depression and mania may be quantitative rather than qualitative and occur within a dimensional space, rather than validating categorical distinctions.

Incidence rates and risk factors of bipolar disorder in the general population: a population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the incidence rates (IRs) of bipolar I and bipolar II disorders in the general population according to sociodemographic population characteristics.

METHODS

A cohort study (during the years 1996-2007) was conducted in a general practitioners research database with a longitudinal electronic record of 800000 patients throughout the Netherlands [the Integrated Primary Care Information (IPCI) database]. Cases of bipolar disorder were identified and classified by systematic review of medical records. Age- and gender-specific IRs were calculated per calendar year, degree of urbanization, and degree of deprivation.

RESULTS

The overall IR of bipolar disorder was 0.70/10000 person-years (PY) [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.57-0.83]; the IR of bipolar I disorder was 0.43/10000 PY (95% CI: 0.34-0.55) and the IR of bipolar II disorder was 0.19/10000 PY (95% CI: 0.13-0.27). Two peaks in the age at onset of the disorder were noticed: one in early adulthood (15-24 years; 0.68/10000 PY) and a larger peak in later life (45-54 years; 1.2/10000 PY). In bipolar II disorder, only one peak, in the 45-54 year age category (IR 0.42/10000 PY), was found. The IRs of bipolar disorder were significantly higher in deprived areas. Similar rates were found for men compared to women and in urban compared to rural areas. No association was found between the onset of first (hypo)manic episode and month or season of birth.

CONCLUSIONS

We found two peaks in the age at onset of bipolar disorder, one in early adulthood and one in later life, the former consisting mainly of bipolar I disorder subjects. The incidence of bipolar disorder is higher in deprived areas. The onset of bipolar disorder is not associated with gender, urbanization, or month or season of birth.

Prevalence and trends in the use of antipsychotic medications during pregnancy in the U.S., 2001-2007: a population-based study of 585,615 deliveries

This study aims to estimate the prevalence of and temporal trends in prenatal antipsychotic medication use within a cohort of pregnant women in the U.S. We identified live born deliveries to women aged 15-45 years in 2001-2007 from 11 U.S. health plans participating in the Medication Exposure in Pregnancy Risk Evaluation Program. We ascertained prenatal exposure to antipsychotics from health plan pharmacy dispensing files, gestational age from linked infant birth certificate files, and ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes from health plan claims files. We calculated the prevalence of prenatal use of atypical and typical antipsychotics according to year of delivery, trimester of pregnancy, and mental health diagnosis. Among 585,615 qualifying deliveries, 4,223 (0.72%) were to women who received an atypical antipsychotic and 548 (0.09%) were to women receiving a typical antipsychotic any time from 60 days before pregnancy through delivery. There was a 2.5-fold increase in atypical antipsychotic use during the study period, from 0.33% (95% confidence interval: 0.29%, 0.37%) in 2001 to 0.82% (0.76%, 0.88%) in 2007, while the use of typical antipsychotics remained stable. Depression was the most common mental health diagnosis among deliveries to women with atypical antipsychotic use (63%), followed by bipolar disorder (43%) and schizophrenia (13%). The number and proportion of pregnancies exposed to atypical antipsychotics has increased dramatically in recent years. Studies are needed to examine the comparative safety and effectiveness of these medications relative to other therapeutic options in pregnancy.

Age of onset and the prospectively observed course of illness in bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

To test the validity of age-of-onset grouping in bipolar disorder through the use of prospectively observed time in mood episodes.

METHODS

Age-of-onset ranges from prior admixture analyses were used to divide 427 individuals with bipolar I or bipolar II disorders into early-, middle- and late- onset groups. These were compared by the proportions of weeks depressed and manic or hypomanic during a mean (SD) prospective follow-up of 17.4 (8.4) years.

RESULTS

As predicted, the group with the earliest onsets reported at intake more previous episodes, suicide attempts and panic attacks. An early age of onset, but not current age, was predictive of significantly more time in depressive episodes during follow-up but was not predictive of time in manic or hypomanic episodes.

LIMITATIONS

This was a naturalistic study with no control of treatment so variability in treatment may have obscured relationships between predictors and outcomes. Age of onset was retrospectively determined and subject to inaccuracies in recall.

CONCLUSIONS

An early age of onset conveys, to a modest degree, a poorer prognosis as expressed in more depressive morbidity.

A rivastigmine-precipitated manic episode in a patient with Alzheimer-type dementia

The occurrence of mania in the geriatric population is rare. Furthermore, there were only six case reports of elderly patients with secondary mania resulting from treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors. In all cases, patients had a prior psychiatric history. We report the case of an elderly patient with no prior history of psychiatric or other organic disorders who experienced first episode mania following treatment with rivastigmine. We discuss the possible mechanism of mania in this patient.

Emotion regulation characteristics and cognitive vulnerabilities interact to predict depressive symptoms in individuals at risk for bipolar disorder: a prospective behavioural high-risk study

Recent work has identified behavioural approach system (BAS) sensitivity as a risk factor for the first onset and recurrence of mood episodes in bipolar disorder, but little work has evaluated risk factors for depression in individuals at risk for, but without a history of, bipolar disorder. The present study evaluated cognitive styles and the emotion-regulatory characteristics of emotional clarity and ruminative brooding as prospective predictors of depressive symptoms in individuals with high versus moderate BAS sensitivity. Three separate regressions indicated that the associations between dysfunctional attitudes, self-criticism, and neediness with prospective increases in depressive symptoms were moderated by emotional clarity and brooding. Whereas brooding interacted with these cognitive styles to exacerbate their impact on depressive symptoms, emotional clarity buffered against their negative impact. These interactions were specific to high-BAS individuals for dysfunctional attitudes, but were found across the full sample for self-criticism and neediness. These results indicate that emotion-regulatory characteristics and cognitive styles may work in conjunction to confer risk for and resilience against depression, and that some of these relationships may be specific to individuals at risk for bipolar disorder.

Positive overgeneralization and Behavioral Approach System (BAS) sensitivity interact to predict prospective increases in hypomanic symptoms: a behavioral high-risk design

Recent work has identified Behavioral Approach System (BAS) sensitivity as a risk factor for the first onset and recurrence of mood episodes in bipolar disorder, but little work has evaluated risk factors for the prospective development of hypomanic symptoms in individuals at risk for, but without a history of, bipolar disorder. The present study used a prospective behavioral high-risk design to evaluate the impact of positive overgeneralization, a cognitive correlate of risk for hypomania, on hypomanic symptoms in individuals with high vs. moderate BAS sensitivity, but without a history of mood elevation. Hierarchical linear regressions indicated that upward positive overgeneralization and BAS sensitivity interacted to predict increased levels of hypomanic symptoms at follow-up, controlling for initial hypomanic symptoms. The pattern of this interaction was such that positive overgeneralization predicted higher levels of hypomanic symptoms among high-BAS, but not moderate-BAS, individuals. Thus, the self-reported tendency to experience grandiose increases in confidence following success may confer additional risk for mood elevation among individuals already at risk for developing bipolar disorder. Potential implications for prevention and treatment are discussed.

Genome-wide survey implicates the influence of copy number variants (CNVs) in the development of early-onset bipolar disorder

We used genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data to search for the presence of copy number variants (CNVs) in 882 patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and 872 population-based controls. A total of 291 (33%) patients had an early age-at-onset < or =21 years (AO < or =21 years). We systematically filtered for CNVs that cover at least 30 consecutive SNPs and which directly affect at least one RefSeq gene. We tested whether (a) the genome-wide burden of these filtered CNVs differed between patients and controls and whether (b) the frequency of specific CNVs differed between patients and controls. Genome-wide burden analyses revealed that the frequency and size of CNVs did not differ substantially between the total samples of BD patients and controls. However, separate analysis of patients with AO < or =21 years and AO>21 years showed that the frequency of microduplications was significantly higher (P=0.0004) and the average size of singleton microdeletions was significantly larger (P=0.0056) in patients with AO < or =21 years compared with controls. A search for specific BD-associated CNVs identified two common CNVs: (a) a 160 kb microduplication on 10q11 was overrepresented in AO < or = 21 years patients (9.62%) compared with controls (3.67%, P=0.0005) and (b) a 248 kb microduplication on 6q27 was overrepresented in the AO< or = 21 years subgroup (5.84%) compared with controls (2.52%, P=0.0039). These data suggest that CNVs have an influence on the development of early-onset, but not later-onset BD. Our study provides further support for previous hypotheses of an etiological difference between early-onset and later-onset BD.

Incidence of schizophrenia and other psychoses in England, 1950-2009: a systematic review and meta-analyses

BACKGROUND

We conducted a systematic review of incidence rates in England over a sixty-year period to determine the extent to which rates varied along accepted (age, sex) and less-accepted epidemiological gradients (ethnicity, migration and place of birth and upbringing, time).

OBJECTIVES

To determine variation in incidence of several psychotic disorders as above.

DATA SOURCES

Published and grey literature searches (MEDLINE, PSycINFO, EMBASE, CINAHL, ASSIA, HMIC), and identification of unpublished data through bibliographic searches and author communication.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Published 1950-2009; conducted wholly or partially in England; original data on incidence of non-organic adult-onset psychosis or one or more factor(s) pertaining to incidence.

PARTICIPANTS

People, 16-64 years, with first -onset psychosis, including non-affective psychoses, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, psychotic depression and substance-induced psychosis.

STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS

Title, abstract and full-text review by two independent raters to identify suitable citations. Data were extracted to a standardized extraction form. Descriptive appraisals of variation in rates, including tables and forest plots, and where suitable, random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions to test specific hypotheses; rate heterogeneity was assessed by the I²-statistic.

RESULTS

83 citations met inclusion. Pooled incidence of all psychoses (N = 9) was 31.7 per 100,000 person-years (95%CI: 24.6-40.9), 23.2 (95%CI: 18.3-29.5) for non-affective psychoses (N = 8), 15.2 (95%CI: 11.9-19.5) for schizophrenia (N = 15) and 12.4 (95%CI: 9.0-17.1) for affective psychoses (N = 7). This masked rate heterogeneity (I²: 0.54-0.97), possibly explained by socio-environmental factors; our review confirmed (via meta-regression) the typical age-sex interaction in psychosis risk, including secondary peak onset in women after 45 years. Rates of most disorders were elevated in several ethnic minority groups compared with the white (British) population. For example, for schizophrenia: black Caribbean (pooled RR: 5.6; 95%CI: 3.4-9.2; N = 5), black African (pooled RR: 4.7; 95%CI: 3.3-6.8; N = 5) and South Asian groups in England (pooled RR: 2.4; 95%CI: 1.3-4.5; N = 3). We found no evidence to support an overall change in the incidence of psychotic disorder over time, though diagnostic shifts (away from schizophrenia) were reported.

LIMITATIONS

Incidence studies were predominantly cross-sectional, limiting causal inference. Heterogeneity, while evidencing important variation, suggested pooled estimates require interpretation alongside our descriptive systematic results.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS OF KEY FINDINGS

Incidence of psychotic disorders varied markedly by age, sex, place and migration status/ethnicity. Stable incidence over time, together with a robust socio-environmental epidemiology, provides a platform for developing prediction models for health service planning.

Behavioral Approach System (BAS)-Relevant Cognitive Styles in Individuals with High vs. Moderate BAS Sensitivity: A Behavioral High-Risk Design

This study used a behavioral high-risk design to evaluate cognitive styles relevant to the Behavioral Approach System (BAS) among individuals at high (n = 171) versus low (n = 119) risk of first onset of bipolar disorder based on BAS sensitivity, a known risk factor for bipolar disorder. Cognitive styles in high-BAS participants paralleled those implicated in bipolar disorder. Linear regressions indicated that individuals with high BAS sensitivity exhibited greater levels of goal striving, positive overgeneralization, rumination on positive affect, depressive brooding, perfectionism, and hypomanic personality. Furthermore, of the cognitive styles, emotion-focused rumination on positive affect mediated the association between BAS sensitivity and current levels of hypomanic symptoms. These results provide evidence that individuals at risk for the development of bipolar disorder have higher levels of BAS-relevant cognitive styles and hypomanic personality than do individuals with lower risk, indicating that these styles are not simply markers of prior (hypo)manic episodes.

Premorbid school performance in twins concordant and discordant for bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

Although the genetic risk to develop bipolar disorder is present from conception, the first frank symptoms of the illness generally become evident in late adolescence or early adulthood. However, except for pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD), it is still unclear when the first signs of the illness in adults become apparent and whether these are related to the genetic risk to develop bipolar disorder. This study examined whether underperformance at school precedes the onset of the illness and is a genetically related risk marker for developing bipolar disorder.

METHODS

Information on school performance was obtained using objective archival data from 53 bipolar twin pairs (24 monozygotic (MZ), 29 dizygotic (DZ)) and 42 healthy matched control twin pairs (23 MZ, 19 DZ).

RESULTS

Affected twin pairs completed significantly fewer years of education than did control twin pairs with no difference between bipolar patients and their non-bipolar cotwins. The underperformance at school in the affected twin pairs occurred in early adolescence at a significantly younger age than the control twin pairs and preceded the onset of the first frank episode of bipolar disorder by thirteen years. Median age at onset of underperformance was not different in the patients and their non-bipolar cotwins. The association between liability of bipolar disease and age of first underperformance was significant and could be explained by genetic factors.

LIMITATIONS

The sample is not a population based twin sample.

CONCLUSION

Underperformance at school during early adolescence may be a genetic marker for the vulnerability to develop bipolar disorder.

An admixture analysis of the age at index episodes in bipolar disorder

The interaction between polarity at onset (PAO) and age at onset (AAO) appears to be important for interpreting results of previous analyses of AAO in bipolar disorder (BD). Using an admixture analysis, we examined independently the distributions of age at first depressive and hypomanic/manic episodes in 379 BD I and II patients. Subsequently, we examined the association of PAO and AAO with specific clinical variables, using parametric and nonparametric analyses. Both depressive and manic onsets showed bimodal distributions. For depressive episodes, the means were: 18.5±4.1 (early onset) and 33.6±10.4 (late onset) years; and for manic episodes 18.9±3.3 (early onset) and 34.8±10.9 (late onset) years. For the overall AAO the best fit was for a mixture of three lognormal distributions (mean±S.D.): 15.5±2.0, 22.8±4.6, and 36.1±10.1years. Overall, an early onset was significantly associated with a chronic course of the disorder, a stronger family history of affective disorder, higher rates of rapid cycling, suicidal behavior, psychotic symptoms, and co-morbid anxiety disorders. Early onset depressive episodes were associated with higher rates of suicidal behavior and anxiety disorders, whereas early onset manic episodes were associated with psychotic symptoms and rapid cycling. Our results suggest the presence of a bimodal distribution of age at onset in BD according to the polarity of the index episode, and denote that an early onset BD, irrespective of polarity, may be a more serious subtype of the disorder.

Three studies on self-report scales to detect bipolar disorder

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the usefulness of self-report scales for detecting bipolar disorder in several settings.

METHODS

Study 1 developed a short form of the Hypomanic Personality Scale (the HPS-6) based on clinic/community and undergraduate samples. Study 2 used this scale for recruiting participants with bipolar disorder from the community. Study 3 administered the full-length Hypomanic Personality Scale, the Mood Disorder Questionnaire, and a short form of the General Behavior Inventory (the GBI-15) to an undergraduate sample. Each study featured a reference standard diagnostic interview.

RESULTS

In Study 2, about half of those responding to the advertisement (based on the HPS-6 developed in Study 1) reported a history of at least one hypomanic episode on a telephone-based SCID. In Study 3, the most robust findings emerged for the GBI-15: about one-third of participants screening positive on that measure met criteria for bipolar disorder using the Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV (SCID).

LIMITATIONS

Despite large sample sizes and stratified sampling, this study was limited by a low number of participants with bipolar I disorder.

CONCLUSIONS

These three studies produced mixed findings regarding the detection of bipolar disorder via self-report. The HPS-6 was reasonably successful in recruiting participants with a history of at least one manic or hypomanic episode into a study on bipolar disorder. The GBI-15 showed some promise as a screening tool in an undergraduate setting, but there is a need for more sensitive and specific scales. Discussion focuses on potential strategies for developing such scales.